Somaliland people speaking after their government failed them

 

Ibrahim Mead
Ottawa, Canada
April 6, 2013

 

When the Wrong paid and the Right got the Rap
When a government fails her people, when a government is under suspension and when a government and her people are in distance apart, people take the matter in their hands and speak for their cause and case. When people don’t trust their government with their hopes and aspirations, then the people speak.
When a government fails to speak for the revered cause of her people in the right way, then in such situations people speak for their cause them selves, so Somaliland people are speaking. When the people believe that their government is part of the problem and not part of the truth and does not safeguard the people’s right of self determination, then the people speak for their bottom line.
“Where is the government of Mr. Siilanyo!?” people are wondering. When the people are answering the above question most people say that they are in the dark rooms, travelling under the cover of lies, hiding a lot from the people, selling a contraband!
My son who is approaching his 30th birth day used to ask me when he first spoke this question, “Why were they doing this to us?” that was when the ethnic cleanings was happening in Somaliland in the 80s! In respond to my son’s question I used to say to him, “they were wrong but the end belongs to us, to the righteous.”
When he grew up and saw the difference of Somaliland and Somalia in many aspects When he saw that Somaliland did all the right things and Somalia did all the wrong things he asked me this question, “why their wrongs paid (such that the international community recognized them) and all the right things we did, did not pay?” my answer was the same. “They are wrong, those who are supporting their wrongs are wrong! We are right and the end belongs to the righteous, to us if we persevere and be patient and if we get an honesty leadership which feels the pain the people of Somaliland has suffered and suffering”

The generation who were born after Somaliland withdrew from the failed union with failed Somalia is now over 21 years old plus 10 more years they were brutalized, marginalized and dehumanized and slowly killed. They don’t understand and it doesn’t make a sense to them when Somalia claims that they own Somaliland and the international community entertains that nonsense! The only thing that Somaliland young generation knows is their currency, their flag and their democratic government.
The things they remember of Somalia are:
a) crimes they committed against Somaliland.
b) Crimes, misery and mayhem they inflected to their own people!
d) Religious extremism, terrorism and sea piracy
under that circumstance the so called international community is denying the peaceful people of Somaliland their fundamental rights to have their own sovereign state among the nations of the world.
Summary of Somaliland experience:
The triumph, the turbulence and the achievements

1- Somaliland achieved independence from Britain in June, 1960. The dream of creating a unified greater Somali speaking state in the horn of Africa which was driven by nationalist emotions led Somaliland Republic to join ex-Italian Somalia to be the first of the would be five Somali states. Aside from Somaliland and Somalia the other three Somali states to join the above two were: ex- French Somali coast, (Djibouti now) Somali region of Ethiopia, and Northern region of Kenya. (NFD)
With the exception of Somaliland and Somalia the greater dream of realizing five Somali states under one flag did not materialize.
The union of the remaining two of the said five Somali states failed when Somalia executed the ethnic cleansing policy against Somaliland. Somaliland survived from that horrendous evil experience. Somaliland withdrew from the union with Somalia and declared never again. They declared their independence in 1991 after they defeated Somalia’s regime of Barre.
2-Siyad Barre’s regime of Mogadishu organized a scheme to cleanse the Somaliland people ethnically under the “Displace and Replace” program. Somaliland people rejected to be obliterated. They fought back in a war imposed on them. The paid blood and treasure and tears for their survival. They defeated Somalia’s army. They not only survived from the ethnic cleansing but prevailed and triumphed.

3-Victorious Somaliland National Movement did not chase the defeated Somalia army for revenge. They let them go back to Mogadishu where they belong which they did

4-SNM invited all the communities in Somaliland, those who were with the dictator as well as those who were not alike, from Zeila to Lasanood to Erigavo and in between for reconciliation and forgiveness. That convention happened in the city of Burao in 1991.
In an absolute consensus all the communities of Somaliland gathered there declared that they withdrew the ill-fated union with Somalia. The 2nd Republic of Somaliland was born in Burao in May 1991.
5-The SNM organization which liberated Somaliland from the genocidal regime of Siyad Barre handed over power to a civilian government. This voluntary peaceful transfer of power from a fighting front to a civilian administration was one of the first of its kind if not the first experience that ever happened any where in the world!
6-A second national convention took place in Borama in 1993. A charter named after that city was passed there and as a result an inclusive, broad based government was established there. Disarmament followed, then peace took root in Somaliland .
7-A popular referendum followed in 2001 which the people affirmed and sealed their prior desires and agreements. People voted 97% yes for the withdrawal of the union with Somalia
8-Somaliland established an enduring peace and stability in her territory with no or less of out side help
9-Somaliland established a democratic system of government where four presidents followed one after the other in a democratic peaceful way. It rarely or probably never happened in the continent of Africa.
10-Somaliland established a neighborly trusted relationship with Ethiopia, the first in its kind for centuries. That relationship is not only between two governments but it is also between two peoples who never trusted each other before! This historic achievement took root when SNM base was in the“Houd and reserved area” of Ethiopia- now the Somali state of Ethiopia.
11-Somaliland accepted and absorbed Somalia’s refugees with out international assistance; with our international recognition of that experience for purely humanitarian grounds
12-a) Somaliland was alone when she was fighting against the brutal regime of Siyad Barre. They stood on their ground in that struggle and they prevailed as a result
b) Somaliland was alone with no international assistance when they came back to their country which was leveled to the ground. They buried their dead alone. They built their county alone! They are not complaining! They stood on their ground in that undertaking.
C) Somaliland will resist both the domestic and the foreign sabotage and will previl in the end Somaliland has nine lives. She experienced even embargos from Saudi Arabia She survived in that in human act. She will survive what ever comes from with in and from with out enemies

13-I would like to give a free advice to Turkey, the new kid in the block. I know they have their own strategy in the horn of Africa. I would however say to them, Sit back and seriously, impartially, read the history of Somaliland, study the political web of Somalia and the horn in general before passing judgment. Read both the Resumes of the two Somali states. Somaliland and Somalia that is, and my God help you and help all those who take on the side of justice and impartiality.
The Siilanyo government which made herself like “The fool who far he went, recognition to attain, lost and returns an idiot as he went and brings the fool again”, Somaliland was foolish in 1960 in which to regain her lost Republic cost her blood and treasure.
Be aware, Somaliland is speaking after she saw deceit and deception in the market of politics, operating by domestic traitors entrusted by the people!
Somaliland government lost the trust of her people, therefore the people will not accept nor would they recognize what ever is considered as treasonous to the CAUASE of Somaliland, from any entity be it Siilanyo’s administration or foreign entity, therefore the government of Siilanyo better change both intent and direction if they want to be trusted and valid.
Treason does never prosper if it does no one would dare call it treason, so it remains the most accursed as it should be.
A traitor to his country and to his people is the traitor most detestable and most accursed.
Let us come together and work together. Let us grow up and protect the peace and stability of Somaliland and the region as a whole by not betraying the cause of Somaliland which is the hopes and aspirations and the bottom line of the people of Somaliland who paid all they had for it.

Peace and Prayers
Ibrahim Mead